Name and co-founding partner Hector Torres is one of the nation’s top lawyers for the prosecution of antitrust and other complex commercial cases. He has represented major U.S. and foreign corporations in a broad range of actions involving antitrust, intellectual property, securities fraud, product liability and contract matters in federal and state courts. He has prosecuted and defended cases involving transnational antitrust, commercial and insurance disputes before domestic and international arbitration tribunals. Hector was appointed and served as a member of Governor George Pataki’s New York State Judicial Screening Committee for the First Department from 2002 to 2006. He currently serves as a member of the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Judicial Department, Committee on Character and Fitness.

Hector has been honored as a 2017 "M&A and Antitrust Trailblazer" by the National Law Journal and a 2016 “Top Latin Lawyer” by Latino Leaders Magazine in recognition of his pioneering work in antitrust cases and leadership in the Hispanic community. He was also recognized as a 2015 “Litigation Trailblazer” by the National Law Journal, which celebrated 50 lawyers from throughout the country who advanced their legal practice through the use of innovative strategies and for exemplary achievements in the legal profession. He has been recognized in Who’s Who Legal: Competition and highlighted in The Legal 500 US Litigation: Commercial and Securities: Shareholder Litigation practice areas. He has also been named as both a national and local “litigation star” in Benchmark Litigation and featured in New York Super Lawyers.

Hector has served on the New York State Judicial Screening Committee for the First Department, the Yale Law School Association's Executive Committee, and the Committee on Character and Fitness for the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Judicial Department.

Lead global outside counsel for a major automaker in obtaining affirmative recoveries in connection with price-fixing, bid-rigging and customer allocation cartels involving more than 90 automotive parts suppliers, and impacted purchases in North America, Europe, Asia, Africa and South America, described by the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice as its largest criminal antitrust investigation, resulting in nearly $3 billion in criminal fines.

U.S. Bank, as trustee of 13 RMBS securitization trusts, in actions seeking more than $6 billion for breaches of representations and warranties made by the sellers and loan originators with respect to the mortgage loans pooled in these securitizations. Defendants include affiliates of Credit Suisse, Morgan Stanley and UBS.

Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”), as conservator for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, in numerous actions, seeking rescission or damages from financial institutions and individuals for, among other things, defendants’ misrepresentations concerning pools of mortgage loans that underlie residential mortgage-backed securities issued and securitized by the defendants and sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Cases settled with FHFA recovering $1.37 billion.

Anderson News in an antitrust action alleging a conspiracy among the leading magazine publishers and distributors to boycott Anderson forcing it into bankruptcy.

Le*Nature’s Liquidation Trust in action arising from massive Ponzi scheme causing more than $500 million in damages to Le*Nature’s estate. For this representation, Hector was recently selected asThe American Lawyer'sLitigator of the Week.

Obtaining dismissal and negotiating favorable settlements on behalf of MBIA, the world’s largest monoline insurer, in four separate state and federal actions brought against the company by 19 of the world’s largest financial institutions, bondholders and a putative nationwide class represented by several hedge funds – all arising from MBIA’s $5 billion corporate restructuring in 2009.

Source Interlink Distribution and Source Interlink Companies in an antitrust suit alleging that leading magazine publishers and their distributors conspired to force Source out of the wholesale single-issue magazine market. U.S. District Judge Paul A. Crotty granted a temporary restraining order to Source, ordering the defendant magazine publishers and their national distributors to resume supplying magazines to Source. After the TRO was issued, all 12 defendants agreed to settle with Source.

Successful prosecution of Sherman Act and unfair competition claims on behalf of Toyota Tsusho Corporation and Tomen America in international arbitrations and litigation arising from global parcel tanker price-fixing conspiracy.

Successful prosecution of Sherman Act and unfair competition claims on behalf of Transammonia and Trammochem in international arbitrations arising from parcel tanker price-fixing conspiracy.

Successful representation of large Central American financial group in dispute arising from $1.5 billion bank sale to Citigroup.

In a complex toxic tort action, successfully obtained summary judgment dismissal of failure-to-warn and related claims against Celanese based on the federal pre-emption doctrine and the OSHA Hazardous Communication Standard.

Successful defense of Celanese in $500 million contract action inTexasstate court against Celanese.

Successful prosecution of fraud and misappropriation of business opportunity claims against AIG subsidiary, American Life Insurance Company on behalf of Argentina-based AIVA, in federal district court in Delaware, and in international arbitration under Inter-America Commission Arbitration Commission.

Media

Latino Leaders Magazine has named partner Hector Torres to its list of “Top Latino Lawyers” in recognition of his pioneering prosecution of antitrust and other complex commercial cases, and leadership in the Hispanic community.